Our guest host this week was none other than Joe Pulizzi! Joe is person who coinedthe term content marketing, and the founder of Content Marketing Institute. He’s also a speaker and an author on content marketing. He shared some amazing tips during our chat all about building your audience online.
Q1: How can content help you build your online brand or presence?
You probably hear others talk about the importance of content all the time, but how exactly does it help you build your brand? Let’s break it down:
A1: Content for content’s sake won’t do anything for your brand. #contentwritingchat
The first thing to keep in mind is this piece of advice Joe offered. Content for content’s sake won’t do anything for your brand. You shouldn’t just create because that’s what you’re supposed to do. The content you publish should add value and serve a purpose within your brand. Remember that!
A1: Find a niche (however small) that you can be the leading resource/expert on the web (the smaller the better) #contentwritingchat
Joe’s next piece of advice is to find a niche that you can be the leading resource/expert for. It’s important that you show your audience that you know your stuff to help build trust with them.
A1: Content can help a brand or company stand out. It can also help you connect with your audience and build trust. #contentwritingchat
Content can be what helps your company stand out from the rest. It’s also a great way to connect with your audience and establish a level of trust with them.
@writingchat A1 – Content lends to thought leadership as long as you are generating original, provoking words. #ContentWritingChat
The content you create can lend itself to establishing you as a thought leader in your field. You just need to make sure you’re generating original and thought-provoking content. Great answer, Katie!
A1: Content builds online presence via #SEO (answering user ?s)+builds trust during the sales cycle by illust expertise #ContentWritingChat
As Maureen said, content can also help build your presence through SEO. Focus on answering the questions your audience has and providing value to them. It helps to build trust and shows your expertise.
Q1: One benefit is the ability to grow interactive online relationships by sharing valuable insights with an audience #ContentWritingChat
Edanry summed it all up with his answer. Content helps build SEO while developing a framework for authority, expertise, and trustworthiness.
Q2: What do you need to know about your audience in order to create content they’ll love?
Now that you know why great content is so important, you need to understand your audience in order to create content that appeals to them. Here’s what you need to know about your audience:
A2: You need to know “what keeps my audience up at night?” – You know that, live that, you’ll be successful. #contentwritingchat
What keeps your audience up at night? Where do they hang out online? Who do they trust? Who are your attention competitors? Joe recommends answering these questions to get to know your audience even better.
A2: To create relevant content you need to know your audience’s pain points. Your content should help #ContentWritingChat@writingchat
Many people from Tuesday’s chat agreed on this one! You need to know the pain points of your audience. What problems do they have? Create content that solves those issues for them.
Jenn said you need to know who they are, where they are, and what they’re all about. Knowing your audience is really the foundation of creating content.
a2: Know where your audience is, know who they are, tailor your content to the specific platforms &interests #contentwritingchat
Once you know what your audience wants, make sure you create top-notch content that provides them with the answers they’re looking for. Your audience expects the best and they deserve it.
Q3: Which content formats should you create for your audience?
There are a lot of content formats you can choose from, which can make it tricky to figure out which one you should pursue. To help, keep these tips in mind:
A3: Any format can work – print, textual/image/audio – but to build an audience, you need to choose one. #contentwritingchat
As Joe said, any content format can work. He recommends choosing one and sticking to it. When you can do that one thing really well, it’s going to help you stand out from the crowd.
A3) Whichever form your audience likes most! But if you can find a form that they don’t often see, experiment. #ContentWritingChat
Tim’s advice is to consider what your audience likes the most. You want to choose a format that will resonate with them. If you aren’t sure, ask them what they’d like to see.
A3: You have to figure out which content formats resonate with your audience and are enjoyable for you to create. #ContentWritingChat
You also want to choose content formats that are enjoyable for you to create. For example, if you just aren’t comfortable in front of the camera and you feel awkward no matter how much you practice, don’t force yourself to do video. Choose content formats that feel good to you and show off your strengths.
Amalia shared some great content formats to try: video, podcasts, infographics, images, and written articles. Try creating these to see what feels right to you and what your audience enjoys.
A3) Once you have a killer piece of content, repurpose in many forms, blog, video, infographic, slideshare, smoke signal #ContentWritingChat
A friendly reminder from David: don’t forget to repurpose your content. Don’t let the content in your archives go to waste. Find ways to repurpose it and bring new life to it.
Q4: How can you build your audience organically through consistent content creation?
If you’re ready to start building your audience through your content, keep these tips in mind:
A4: Two drivers to building an audience: Truly valuable, targeted content AND consistent delivery #contentwritingchat
Make sure you’re consistently producing quality content to keep your audience coming back for more. Building that audience won’t happen overnight, so you have to keep at it.
A4 Consistently valuable content is like a vending machine. If you know what’s going to be there you’ll keep coming back #contentwritingchat
Don’t forget to actually engage with your audience while doing all of that creating. Take the time to truly connect with them.
Q5: What are ways to use social media to grow your audience?
Social media is a great tool to grow your audience and connect with them. However, if you aren’t sure how to do that, the whole process can feel a little overwhelming. Here’s what you need to know:
A5: Best way to leverage social is to build influencer relationships. Help them, spread their content, build trust #contentwritingchat
Make sure you share your brand’s personality. Allow people to see the person behind the logo. Giving followers a behind-the-scenes look is always great.
A5) Be a real person too, even on a corporate account. If you sound human people will connect FAR more #ContentWritingChat
Jessie recommends trying Facebook ads as a way to expand your reach. You can also add hashtags on Twitter and Instagram to get your content in front of new people.
As Zala said, social media provides communication channels that allow you to connect with your audience. You’re able to nurture your relationships this way.
Q6: How important is it to build the Know, Like, and Trust Factor with your audience?
How important is that KLT Factor? Here’s what some people from Tuesday’s chat had to say about it:
A6: If you build an audience that knows, likes and trusts you, they are much more likely to buy from you. #contentwritingchat
When people know, like, and trust you, they’ll be more likely to buy from you. Joe also said you don’t have to be liked by everyone. You just need your people to like you.
Start by setting goals for your content so you know what you hope to achieve. Knowing this information will help you see what you need to measure and track. Google Analytics is always a great tool to use.
A7 Conversations. Real interest. Leads and revenue. Don’t just go by metrics or numbers! #ContentWritingChat
Nicholas relies on Hootsuite and has been focused on video content.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM CDT for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!
Need great content to fuel your online presence? Visit our Content Shop today!
Did you miss #ContentWritingChat this week? You can get caught up with our recap of the chat! If you want to step up your game when it comes to your content marketing, this is one recap you’ll want to read through!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Your Best Content Marketing Tips with Barry Feldman
Our guest host this week was Barry Feldman. Barry is a content marketing consultant, copywriter, creative director, social media advisor, and an author. We were thrilled to have him joining us this week to talk about content marketing.
Q1: Define “content marketing.”
To kick off the chat, we asked participants to define content marketing. While it’s a pretty common phrase, it’s not one everyone is familiar with, so don’t feel bad if you don’t fully understand it yet. This recap will help! Here are some of the answers we received:
A1: CM def = Publishing content to pull prospects closer to your brand. #contentwritingchat
Barry defined content marketing as publishing content to pull prospects closer to your brand. When creating a content marketing strategy for your brand, you want to make sure what you publish online serves a purpose and helps you achieve your goals.
A1: Content marketing: a strategic plan to create and deliver valuable content (written, visual, etc.) to your audience. #contentwritingchat
Bill has a pretty handy reminder of the definition of content marketing.
Q2: Could content marketing be a more powerful strategy than any other form of online marketing?
What are your thoughts? Is content marketing more powerful than other forms of marketing? Here’s what some of the participants in Tuesday’s chat had to say:
Q2: Definitely, but most companies don’t commit to the degree necessary to make it work. #contentwritingchat
Cheryl and FirstFound shared some great answers for this question. They both agreed that it starts with knowing you audience. Who are you writing for? Figure out what they want and choose the best platform for creating and sharing that content.
Q4: Discuss the elements of an effective content marketing strategy.
What makes up an effective content marketing strategy? Check out these tips:
Q4: Who will our content appeal to? What content will we publish? #contentwritingchat
A key element of your content marketing strategy is knowing who your content will appeal to. You have to understand your audience and keep them in mind as you create. You also have to figure out what content you’ll publish. Figure out where you will publish your content and the purpose it will serve.
@ExpWriters A4: It must start w/ understanding your buyers’. Without that level of understanding, you’ll be ineffective #ContentWritingChat
It’s all about those goals! Have clear goals in mind for your content so you know what you’re working toward. Figure out who your audience is and how you’ll get conversions so you can see amazing results.
A4. A solid understanding of your goal, your audience AND how you are going to measure your efforts. #contentwritingchat
Your content should be engaging. Incorporating visuals is always a great way to grab the attention of your audience. You should also be informative and provide your audience with the content they’d want to see.
A5: Effective content strategy addresses buyer persona’s pain points; it’s also adaptable to their needs. #contentwritingchat
Jenn shared a few questions that are important to ask yourself when creating a content marketing strategy. What are you saying? Who are you saying it to? Where/when are you saying it? Why are you saying it? How should you say it? It’s a lot of questions, but they’re important to answer.
Q4: The most important element for content marketing success is to create content that resonates with the right audience #contentwritingchat
Barry feels it’s important to create a content marketing culture within your company. Get your team on board! He also said you should stick to your strategy, but don’t be afraid to experiment with new things.
A5 a) Time & an editorial calendar to plan. b) Resources & experienced content assistance to expand your outreach & grow #ContentWritingChat
Create an editorial calendar every month so you can enter each new month prepared. It helps to eliminate any stress. It allows helps ensure your content is strategic and serves a purpose.
A5. Answering- am I giving my audience what they want? Is my content converting? + am I getting there b4 competition? #ContentWritingChat
Check in with your strategy on a regular basis and ask yourself a few important questions. Am I giving my audience what they want? Is my content converting? Am I getting there before my competition?
Q5: Always be yourself! Speak with your own unique voice. #ContentWritingChat
Keep the voice of your brand consistent. Even when you bring new writers on board, make sure they are aligned with your goals and maintain the vibe of your brand.
Julia knows that social media shares aren’t necessarily the best reflection of your success with content marketing. Conversations and interactions are much more valuable.
A6: With basic analytics – # of shares, visitors, which article or topic is most popular, and more. #contentwritingchat
Keep an eye on pageviews, average time on page, and referral traffic to see how people are responding to your content and where traffic is coming from.
A6: Feedback from readers and whether you’re achieving your set goal(s). #ContentWritingChat
Take feedback from your readers into consideration. What are they saying in your blog comments? What are they saying in response to your emails? What are they posting on social media?
For Barry, guest blogging has exploded his reach online. It’s definitely a powerful way to connect with a new audience. He’s also had great results with Slideshare and infographics.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM CDT for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!
Want a free strategy call to discover what kind of content you need to reach your online goals? Contact us today!
Did you miss this week’s #ContentWritingChat? There’s no need to worry, friends! Dive into our recap of Tuesday’s chat and learn all about successful content marketing.
#ContentWritingChat May 24 2016 Recap: How to Adapt to & Succeed in Content Marketing
As Sujan said, content marketing is the most effective way to do SEO and to build your audience and brand. Content marketing can also help you generate leads. Just look at the results Sujan has had with his personal website!
A1: Content is king. If you don’t have the correct content, you’ll never produce the correct community for your brand. #ContentWritingChat
Sujan knows it all starts with getting to know your target audience. What do they need and want? What are their struggles? What makes them happy, sad, angry? Then, conduct some keyword research to find the top keywords for your content. And don’t forget guest posting! It’s a powerful way to get in front of a new audience.
A2: Knowing your audience is the first step. If you don’t, you won’t know what kind of content they want to read. #contentwritingchat
Netvantage Marketing and Elexicon agree: get to know your audience. When you understand the needs of your audience, you can create exactly the content they’re looking for.
Always set goals and keep them in mind as you work. When you have a clear idea of what your goals are, you can create a plan to help you achieve them. Nice answer, Sarah!
A2: Connect, connect, connect! If you want people to follow your Twitter, blog, FB page, whatever. Start participating. #contentwritingchat
— Chris Christensen (@christensen143) May 24, 2016
Chris knows the importance of engaging with your audience. If you want to see results, start connecting with people. Building relationships makes a huge difference.
A2. Research your platforms, target markets, and trending topics. #contentwritingchat
— Village Print&Media (@village_print) May 24, 2016
Research the platforms you’ll use, get to know your audience, and be aware of trending topics. These things are so important in a successful content marketing strategy.
A2 1) know your why 2) know ur TA 3) align their needs and your “offerings” 4) make a plan 5) baby steps = process #ContentWritingChat
Cheryl said to get to know your audience. Know what they’re looking for and where they spend their time online. You want to create the content they’re looking for and share it across the platforms they’re actively using.
A2 Research WHO you’re talking to and WHAT they want to hear. @Buzzsumo is a wonderful tool to help you discover #ContentWritingChat
Julia knows the importance of research. Get to know your audience and figure out what they want to hear. At Express Writers, we love to use BuzzSumo for this.
A2: Find target audience, set SMART goals, create valuable info on schedule, measure progress & do more of what works! #ContentWritingChat
We love this answer from FreshSparks! You want to make sure you set SMART goals, create valuable content, and measure your progress. Measuring your results is so important so you can see what’s working and what’s not.
Q3: How can you determine what will resonate with your audience?
To determine what kind of content will resonate with your audience, you’re going to have to do some research! Check out these tips:
A3) Ask them! If you want to know what someone is interested in, talk to them. Use social media, email & start a convo #ContentWritingChat
Don’t be afraid to just ask! Start conversations via social media, email, etc. It’s a simple, but effective, way to get to know your audience. After all, they’re the best ones to tell you what they want.
A3: Look at the bounce rate. Likes/Comments/Shares only tell you so much. Did your audience actually read the content? #contentwritingchat
Take a look at the bounce rate in your analytics. It’ll give you a good idea whether or not your content is actually being read and if people are staying on your website.
Varun knows that social listening can yield some great results. Tune into what your audience is saying via social media. What are they talking about? What do they need help with?
Don’t be afraid to experiment with your content. Alberto said to try different formats, media, publishing days and times, etc. See what works the best.
A3: Address your audience’s pain points/problems. Answer their questions. Teach, guide, consult through your content. #ContentWritingChat
Kavita knows research is key! You won’t learn anything about your audience if you don’t put in the time and effort for research.
Q4: How can you use your content to establish yourself as an authority figure in your niche?
If you want to establish yourself as an authority figure in your niche, make sure you’re consistently publishing great content. And implement these tips as well:
A4 If you teach people everything people will remember where they (or who) learned it from…that’s authority 🙂
Providing valuable, quality content is so important. When you offer quality content that solves a problem for your audience, they’ll want to keep coming back for more.
Great answer, Maureen! Create content that refers to external expertise. It can add credibility, which is essential.
A4: Sharing content is not enough. You have to participate in the conversation. Create conversations, answer questions. #contentwritingchat
— Chris Christensen (@christensen143) May 24, 2016
Don’t just share your content. Chris said you should be part of the conversation with your audience! Start talking to them on social media and get to know them better.
A4. Host discussions about controversial topics, build an engaging community, & keep up with trending topics. #contentwritingchat
— Village Print&Media (@village_print) May 24, 2016
Host discussions and talk about the hot topics. It’s a great way to engage your audience and build a community.
A4: Getting published weekly within your niche is a genius tactic to remain consistent and raise brand awareness #contentwritingchat
Strive to get published on other websites to get noticed by a whole new audience. Guest posting is a fantastic way to grow your audience, but it also helps build your credibility and can establish you as an authority figure.
Q5: What content formats should you incorporate into your content marketing strategy?
What content formats should you be using? Check out what our chat participants had to say:
A5: My favs are video, images & and obviously written content. Downloadable content always works well (content upgrades) #ContentWritingChat
Sujan’s favorites include video, images, and written content. Content upgrade downloads are great as well. Make the time to test and see what’s actually working for your audience. Don’t forget to repurpose your content in other formats.
A5: You should incorporate the types of content formats that you audience consumes. #ContentWritingChat
Maureen and Kavita agree on this one. Figure out what your audience enjoys and produce more of that! Do they like long blog posts? Are they into podcasts? Create the content they’re craving.
A5) I’ve got to say, short, snappy videos are definitely a good way to go! #ContentWritingChat
Tim suggested using short, snappy videos. Video content is always a great way to engage your audience. If you keep it short and sweet, they’re sure to tune in.
A5. Videos, infographics, good articles. Depends of your audience and the moment #ContentWritingChat
No matter which content formats you choose, Jim said to include visuals. A great visual will catch the eye of your audience and get them to pay attention. Visuals are also highly shareable.
Q6: How does storytelling play a role in content marketing?
Take a look at some of the storytelling tips we received during Tuesday’s chat:
A6: The short answer: STORYTELLING works!! it helps people resonate with you or your brand on a personal level #ContentWritingChat
To put it simply, storytelling works! Sujan said it helps people resonate with you/your brand on a personal level. It’s all about forming that connection.
As Kavita said, stories are memorable and can help get the point across to your audience. You should definitely make sure storytelling is part of your content marketing.
A6) People want to know HOW you got here – and WHY it wasn’t a straight line. Tell your story & be detail oriented. #ContentWritingChat
Great answer from Zala! Telling a story to your audience is like reading/writing a great book that draws you in. Grab their attention and keep it the entire time.
A6: Storytelling allows you to show your audience the personality and uniqueness of your brand. #ContentWritingChat
Sujan said to measure traffic, mentions/links, leads, email opt-ins, and search volume. You also want to measure the money and leads coming your way. As he said, it’ll take some time to see those results rolling in.
A7: Success is upward movement in website traffic, opt-ins, engagement, inquiries, sales. Set your goals first! #ContentWritingChat
FreshSparks suggested keeping an eye on website traffic, opt-ins, engagement, inquires, and sales. Make sure you set your goals first so you know what kind of results you want to see.
Measure the conversation your content has sparked, but don’t forget to measure conversions as well. Great answer, Varun! Keeping an eye on the conversations that come up as a result of your content is very important.
As Tim said, you should track how many people moved to the next stage of the buyer journey. Are they signing up to your email list, getting in touch, etc.?
A7. measure your engagements; likes, shares, conversation, emails, etc #contentwritingchat
— Village Print&Media (@village_print) May 24, 2016
Engagement is always important to measure. Is your content receiving likes and shares? Is it generating conversations?
Referring back to last week’s chat: measure conversions right down to leads, customers, and income.
A7. If you’ve inspired people to take action, think differently or solve a problem & they tell you so…that’s success. #contentwritingchat
— Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) May 24, 2016
Kristen is thinking outside metrics. She said if you inspired someone to take action, think differently, or solved a problem, that’s a success. We agree!
Q8: Where do you think the future of content marketing is headed?
What’s in store for the future of content marketing? Here’s what some of our chat participants had to say:
Julia thinks we will see an increase in innovative content types. There will be more video and live interactions, which are great ways to connect with your audience.
A8. I think it’s going to be much more personal, nuanced, targeted & effective as audience insights and tech develop. #ContentWritingChat
— Brittany Brander (@BrittanyBrander) May 24, 2016
Brittany said content marketing will become more personal, nuances, targeted, and effective. We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM CDT for great chats centered around content writing and marketing.
Did you miss #ContentWritingChat this week? Or maybe you just wanted to check out some of the highlights from Tuesday’s chat? Either way, there’s no need to worry. We have you covered!
Unfortunately, our scheduled guest host was not able to make it to the chat, but our awesome CEO, Julia McCoy, stepped in as our host for the week. She joined us as we talked all about How to Develop Your Voice in Content Marketing. Now, let’s dive into the recap!
Q1: Why is finding your voice and story so important in content marketing?
Finding your voice and your story is important when it comes to content marketing. You need to be yourself in order to be unique and stand out from the crowd. Here’s what Julia, Sarah from ThinkSEM, Andrew, Kyle, and Michael had to say.
A1 Fact: Without a clear voice & story unique to YOU, you won’t stand out. There’s a sea of content out there #ContentWritingChat
As Julia pointed out, there’s a ton of content on the web today. If you want your content to stand out from the rest, you need to develop your voice and infuse your writing with it.
Sarah mentioned that knowing your voice and your story can actually help you reach the right audience. Your voice is important when it comes to attracting your target market to your content.
A1: Your personal voice and story are what will engage your audience and bring them in #ContentWritingChat
Andrew and Kyle both know the importance of finding your voice when it comes to content marketing. They agreed that using your personal voice will help draw people to you and your content.
Both Village Print & Media and Andrew agreed that part of developing your voice comes from knowing the core values behind your brand. What does your brand stand for?
A2: Track what style of voice engages your users. Know your buyer persona and appeal to them. #ContentWritingChat
Ryan shared a great tip with his answer: keep track of what your audience is engaging with. When you get to know your audience and you understand what kind of content resonates with them, it can help you in developing your voice and story.
Q3: What are some key tactics to creating great content today?
Do you want to start creating better content? Take a look at some of these tips that were shared during Tuesday’s chat and start implementing them as part of your content strategy:
A3 Tactics / rather, fundamentals: time, investment, creativity, genius, storytelling… great content isn’t simple! #ContentWritingChat
As Andrew and Sarah pointed out, you need to do some research on your audience if you want to create great content. After all, you’re creating it for them! Figure out what they want and need and how you plan to deliver it to them. Then, you just have to go for it!
A3) Write pieces that not only inform ppl, but also leave them with new questions & make them think! They’ll want more #ContentWritingChat
As Liliana said, great content is informative, but you should also leave your audience wanting more. That’s the key to coming them back every single time.
A3) Provide a unique POV on a current event or topic.Stay up to date in your industry! That is vital! #ContentWritingChat
Another great tip is to stay updated on current events and trends. (Both Kyle and Village Print & Media know this is a must!) As Kyle said, you just need to make sure you put your own unique spin on it. Share your thoughts and opinions as a way to add to current events or trending topics.
Q4: What are some don’ts in creating content today?
To make sure you’re creating awesome content for your audience, you’ll want to make sure you avoid these “don’ts”:
A4: You need to be strategic & have a specific target audience & promotion plan in place BEFORE you start writing! (2/2) #contentwritingchat
Don’t forget to target your specific audience. And don’t forget to have a promotion plan in place. You need to be able to spread the word about your content once it’s published so you can get more readers.
Don’t create content for the sake of creating content. It’s much better to create a few high quality posts for your audience than it is to create a bunch of posts that aren’t up to par.
Don’t forget to optimize your content for search engines. Learn the basics of SEO and take the time to implement it for every piece of content you write
Q5: How is storytelling part of finding your voice in content marketing?
Storytelling plays a major part in attracting customers to you and your brand. To make it part of your brand’s voice, check out these tips:
A5 Use your story in social media ads, blog copy, About pg. In storytelling, think about a) authenticity b) creativity!! #ContentWritingChat
As Julia said, you can use your story in a variety of ways to draw in your audience. You can implement your story into your social media ads, blog copy, your about page, and more.
A5) It’s not. #ContentWritingChat Just kidding, storytelling motivates us to care about the content, there’s a drive to want to know more.
As Rohan said, when you’re passionate about your story, it will help you discover your voice.
Q6: What are some tools that can help the storytelling process?
To help with the storytelling process, we got some amazing recommendations from people in Tuesday’s chat. Take a look and start checking out these tools and tips for yourself:
A6 Foremost, human CREATIVITY 😉 Secondly, @canva, taking pictures/making videos, taking time to get/be inspired #ContentWritingChat
Julia knows that creativity is very important! She also recommended Canva, which is a tool we love to use here at Express Writers. It makes designing captivating images so much easier.
Analytics are another great tool to use because you can see what is resonating with your audience. When you see what actions they’re taking and what content they’re enjoying the most, you can create more of what they like.
Jeremy knows you can’t underestimate the power of editing. Before you share your content, review it to make sure everything is relevant and interesting to your audience. Eliminate anything that doesn’t fit or add value.
Q7: What are key content formats of today (i.e. blogs, videos, etc.)?
There are so many ways you can create content these days, but what you create will largely depend on you and your audience. Here’s what some people in the chat had to say:
A7 DUDE. Podcasts are HUGE right now. Only 3% of marketers are using them – it’s not saturated yet! #ContentWritingChat
Julia said podcasts are huge right now. And she should know! She just launched one of her own: The Write Podcast. She’s been joined by some amazing guests so far to chat about content marketing. Be sure to check it out!
For some other popular content formats, she also suggested livestreaming. Apps like Periscope and Blab continue to grow in popularity. What was her most important tip? Make sure your content is evergreen. Create content that will remain relevant and won’t be quickly outdated.
A7: Key content formats depend on where your audience is. If they’re on YouTube make videos if they’re on IG focus there #contentwritingchat
As Andrew said, the content you create depends on where your audience is. Think about where they’re spending their time online and what types of content they enjoy the most. Create with them in mind.
Village Print & Media knows that video content is important right now, especially on apps like Instagram and Snapchat. Are you using these platforms for your brand?
We saw even more love for video from Alberto who suggested utilizing Snapchat, Blab, Periscope, YouTube, and Facebook Live. Is your audience using any of these? If they are, you should give them a try!
Q8: What do you think is ahead for the content marketing industry?
We always love to hear the thoughts of people in the chat. When we asked what they thought was ahead for the content marketing industry, many of them had the same answer (video).
A8 More video, livestreaming. More platforms, technology & ways to share content types! #ContentWritingChat
Julia, Kyle, and Michael are all tuned in to what’s hot lately because they know video is only going to get more and more popular. Video content is a great way to stand out from the crowd and help you develop a connection with your audience.
Sarah said that content marketing will become more about connecting with your audience and starting a conversation with them, as opposed to being so focused on selling.
A8 a unique way of finding, expressing and telling your STORY. Creative ways to be *of use* and provide value #ContentWritingChat
As Zala pointed out, no matter what, you need to find a way to be creative. That’s always a must!
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM CDT for great chats centered around content writing and marketing!
Content is here to stay: no doubt about it. But how is content considered successful today, based on search engine ranking potential and real value-add to readers?
The Ultimate State of Content Marketing In 2015
We’ve gathered the top factors of successful content for 2015, based on over 15 top sources (including major content marketing studies) in one comprehensive infographic. Enjoy, and don’t forget to share and comment! (Transcript below the infographic of the content and resource links.)
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Did You Know? Crucial Content Stats For 2015
95% (9 out of 10) B2B marketers in North America use content marketing.
60% of marketers use content marketing WEEKLY.
41% of marketers confirm content marketing has a positive ROI (Stateofinboundmarketing)
82% of prospects find relevant industry content most valuable (Marketo)
Engagement is the most frequently cited objective for content marketing by US B2B marketers. (Curata)
Content marketing is now defined as using/creating content that is not promotional but interesting or valuable in itself. (Emarketer)
Buyers are most likely to share blog posts more than any other content form. Next most likely shared content form: infographics. (DemandGenReport)
Whitepapers used to be one of the most popular content forms (in 2013); now, 95% of buyers prefer shorter content formats. (DemandGenReport)
In social media, buyers are more likely to be on LinkedIn & Twitter. (DemandGenReport)
Length matters: Blogs that are at least 2,500 words on a 10+ year old domain rank the best in Google. (serpIQ) Content at least 3,000 words gets 2x the amount of shares shorter posts do.
Six Key Factors of Content Success In 2015
What makes successful content tick? Let’s take a look.
1. Quality is the number one ranking factor.
Although authority and relevance win the rankings (Redevolution), quality is the number one ranking factor for web content (Neilpatel).
2. Useful content posted consistently will succeed.
The keyword is useful; if your readers gain something from reading, they will share and engage. Correct SEO copywriting is essential for websites.
3. A lot of time will be spent crafting perfect headlines.
Five times as many people read the headline as read the actual body copy. (David Ogilvy) (represent in a statistic?). This means when you write a headline, you spend 80c out of a dollar (also represent in a statistic possibly?)
Headline copy is one of the top 5 MOST impactful elements for lead generation. (MarketingSherpa)
4. Content auditing is the best way to monitor content quality.
Say goodbye to bad content: embarrassing content and outdated links won’t happen again if you maintain content auditing (Copyblogger).
Content auditing tools: a content expert’s human eye, time, SEMRush
5. Content curation is becoming mainstream.
Most marketers are now utilizing content curation as a key component of their content marketing strategy. 56% of marketers say that quality content is their greatest content marketing challenge. Curation is a top solution for this challenge. (Forbes/Curata)
6. Creativity will be in demand as content marketers strive to rise above.
Today, SEO copywriting isn’t finished when the content is well-written or even useful: the content must also excite the reader. The more creative the content, the more the engagement.
Storytelling will be in demand as a top engagement tool to connect audience to content. (BruceClay) Just remember: not everyone is a storyteller. (Wordstream)
